June 17, 2012

India: Bihar, Uttar Pradesh both battle spreading encephalitis

Patna/Lucknow: Acute encephalitis syndrome (AES), the deadly mosquito-borne disease that has hit Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, two of India`s most populated states, is spreading.

More deaths of AES patients, mostly children from poor families, from the states have been reported and the outbreak of the ailment seems far from being contained.

With nine more children dying of AES in Bihar`s Gaya, Muzaffarpur and Patna districts, according to officials Saturday, the toll has risen to a shocking 159 in just three weeks.

"Fresh AES cases have been reported from all 10 affected districts," a state health department official said.

In Uttar Pradesh, 88 people have succumbed to various strains of AES in the last two weeks, prompting the state government to press the panic button.

Most of the cases have come from the eastern district of Gorakhpur, near Bihar.

In Bihar, as many as 409 children have been detected with AES and of them, 159 have died and 82 admitted to hospitals, said Additional Secretary (Health) R.P. Ojha. The rest have been discharged, he said.

The worst affected districts include Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, East Champaran and Vaishali.

Health officials say AES has killed lives of 100 children in Muzaffarpur alone.

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Patna/Lucknow: Acute encephalitis syndrome (AES), the deadly mosquito-borne disease that has hit Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, two of India`s most populated states, is spreading.

More deaths of AES patients, mostly children from poor families, from the states have been reported and the outbreak of the ailment seems far from being contained.

With nine more children dying of AES in Bihar`s Gaya, Muzaffarpur and Patna districts, according to officials Saturday, the toll has risen to a shocking 159 in just three weeks.

"Fresh AES cases have been reported from all 10 affected districts," a state health department official said.

In Uttar Pradesh, 88 people have succumbed to various strains of AES in the last two weeks, prompting the state government to press the panic button.

Most of the cases have come from the eastern district of Gorakhpur, near Bihar.

In Bihar, as many as 409 children have been detected with AES and of them, 159 have died and 82 admitted to hospitals, said Additional Secretary (Health) R.P. Ojha. The rest have been discharged, he said.

The worst affected districts include Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, East Champaran and Vaishali.

Health officials say AES has killed lives of 100 children in Muzaffarpur alone.